By: Felix Oti, Awka.
The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) on Tuesday held its Nigerian Content Media Stakeholders Workshop in Awka, Anambra State — the first time the annual engagement is being hosted in the South-Eastern part of Nigeria since it started in 2019 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The workshop is part of NCDMB’s Stakeholders Collaboration and Engagement Initiatives, through which the agency engages key stakeholders across its operating environment to sensitize them on its mandate, programmes, opportunities and how they can contribute to the implementation of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act.
Why Anambra Was Chosen
In his welcome address, the Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, who approved the hosting of the event, said Anambra was deliberately chosen because it is fully recognized as an oil and gas producing state.
According to him, records show that Anambra is the second highest oil producer in the Southeast with an estimated production capacity of about 3,000 barrels per day.
He added that Anambra is also home to renowned oil and gas magnets and local content titans like Engr. Emeka Okwuosa of OilServ, Dr. Ernest Azudialu-Obiejesi, founder of Nestoil Group, and many other oil servicing companies.
“It is therefore important that journalists in Anambra get fully abreast of the Nigerian Content law and NCDMB programmes, so they can expose Anambrarians to the opportunities they can benefit from,” Ogbe said.
He recalled that after the enactment of the NOGICD Act and establishment of NCDMB in 2010, the pioneer leadership recognised that implementation of Nigerian Content would require active collaboration of industry operators, government institutions, businesses, host communities, professionals, academia and, importantly, the media.
NCDMB and the Media
The Executive Secretary said the Board uses the capacity building workshop to enhance the capacities of media professionals, sharpen competencies and improve the quality of reportage on local content and the oil and gas industry.
He cited sections 67 and 70(n) of the NOGICD Act which mandated the Board to deploy media and stakeholder engagement to expand Nigerian Content development, and the Board’s 10-year strategic roadmap developed in 2017 which identified Collaboration and Stakeholder Engagement as one of its enablers.
According to him, NCDMB has treated the media as key partners since 2010, and the media has contributed significantly to making local content a national agenda and influencing several African countries to adopt it. He said the robust media engagement helped NCDMB emerge as the best federal agency for four consecutive times in the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) ranking.
On Nigerian Content and National Development, Ogbe said Nigerian Content is fundamentally about building strong human and material capacities and domiciling oil and gas operations in Nigeria to retain greater value within the economy.
He disclosed that participants would receive detailed insights into NCDMB’s mandate, programmes and achievements through a presentation by the Director, Planning, Research and Statistics, Mr. Omomehin Ajimijaye, and panel discussions on Nigerian Content and Community Development and how journalists can write award-winning stories.
He listed five key expectations from the Anambra media: to promote local content activities so Anambra indigenes can participate actively and benefit from opportunities; to understand local content sufficiently to report with greater depth and context; to build a productive relationship with the Board; to hold operators accountable and help track compliance with Nigerian Content requirements; and to improve the quality of reportage on the oil and gas industry.
“Listen to the presentations. Participate actively in the discussions. Ask questions. Challenge assumptions. Share your experiences and, most importantly, let us have an honest and constructive conversation,” he urged journalists.
Anambra Is Oil Producing, Govt Working To Maximize Benefits — Commissioner
In his speech, the Anambra State Commissioner for Information, Dr. Law Mefor, said Anambra State is an oil producing state and the government is working hard for the state to benefit from that status.
“Anambra State is an oil producing state, the governor is working hard for Anambra to benefit from that status. We are not there yet and the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) have brought their workshop here to get the media to be onboarded in the process of creating awareness on what the Board stands for and how the state can benefit,” Mefor said.
While thanking the Board for coming, he urged NCDMB to focus on qualifications that will lead to jobs and go beyond media training to push for a general review of academic curriculum in Nigeria.
“They should know that there is need to focus on qualifications that will lead to jobs that they offer and go beyond this kind of training and focus on general review of academic curriculum in Nigeria so that disciplines that do not lead to anything should be phased out and it is something that requires national attention,” he said.
Register On Our Portal To Benefit — NCDMB Directors
In their separate speeches, the Director, Planning, Research and Statistics, Mr. Omomehin Ajimijaye, the General Manager, Zonal Coordination Division, Mr. Ifeanyi Ukoha, and the General Manager, Corporate Communications, Mr. Obinna Ezeobi, said the Board wants Ndi Anambra to be aware of its human capacity development initiatives, support for businesses in the oil and gas sector and research and development interventions for academia, businesses and government.
“We want the people of Anambra State to be aware of the activities and the initiatives of the NCDMB for human capacity development in the country, for support to businesses in the oil and gas sector and other initiatives we do for research and development to the academia, to businesses and to the government of Anambra State as well as the entire country,” they said.
They urged the media to disseminate the Board’s website for registration.
“I urge the media to pass the message to everyone, especially our website: *nogicjqs.gov.ng* for people to register because we need to mobilize many people from Anambra on our platforms,” they said.
They explained that only by being on the Board’s platform can people benefit from its programmes, including trainings, internships and capacity building for individuals, as well as flagship programmes like Project 100.
“Project 100 — we took 100 companies in Nigeria and we want to bring them to the next level for them to participate at international level,” they stated.
One of the officials described the Anambra workshop as a homecoming, noting that local content holds huge employment opportunities.
“For me this is home coming and we should know that there is opportunity for employment. We are beginning to promote, discuss and talk about what you can get in local content. Everyone in Anambra, in Nigeria should participate. We have NCDMB field resident programme where we train Nigerians on top 10 skills that are required in oil and gas industries today,” he said.
The workshop was attended by journalists drawn from across Anambra State and resource persons from the NCDMB.
